Science-society dialogue from the start: Participatory research agenda-setting by Science Cafés

Abstract

Abstract This empirical paper presents a case of a participatory agenda-setting exercise for green care services in Hungary. Science Cafés were utilised as a participatory agenda-setting tool within the framework of the InSPIRES H2020 project. The objectives were to collect perceptions of research needs from key actors in the green care field in Hungary, to generate collaborative research projects on green care services and to initiate social dialogue around green care in Hungary. The main research question was as follows: how can we co-create a research agenda on green care by eliciting responses from concerned citizens and experts in a very open and democratic setting? While a growing body of evidence supports the need for, and benefits of, green care services, there is not much research in Hungary addressing diverse knowledge needs of the multiple social actors in the green care field. Science Café as developed for institutionalising an informal and lively dialogue between science and society proved to be a useful tool to co-generate a research agenda for such a relatively neglected but socially highly beneficial theme as green care.

Keywords

• Science Café
• Science Shop
• Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI)
• Green care
• Participatory research agenda-setting